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Foundation Launches Study of Pneumococcal Disease
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At the request of G.G. Onishenko, chief sanitary physician of the Russian Federation, the Rostropovich-Vishnesvkaya Foundation is facilitating research on pneumococcal disease in young children in three major population centers of the country: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vladivostok.
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Pneumococcal disease is a leading killer of children as well as adults around the globe. Caused by a common bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus, pneumococcal infections include pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia. Young children suffer the highest rates of infection. Of the estimated 1.6 million people who die of the disease every year, more than 800,000 are children under the age of five years. Pneumococcal disease is preventable through immunization.
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| There are over 90 known strains or serotypes of pneumococcal bacteria. The study will develop and strengthen the system of surveillance of pneumococcal disease in the country. Specifically, the research will focus on the serotype composition and distribution of invasive pneumococcal disease such as pneumonia and meningitis, as well as acute otitis media, and estimate the burden of disease. It is expected that the research data will clarify the question of whether the available conjugate pneumococcal vaccines are appropriate for use in Russia to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease in young vulnerable children. |
| The Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation is dedicated to the improvement of child health care by designing and supporting transformational public health programs. The Foundation focuses on three major areas of public health: modernization of vaccinations, elimination of intestinal parasites, and the prevention of the transmission of disease from mother to baby. Local capacity building and sustainability are key components of every program |
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For more information on our programs in Russia, click here
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